


first encounter

by orphan_account



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Post-Kingdom Hearts II, god dammittttttt, hm, nb riku agenda, rated t cus riku says the rude butt word, sorikai if you squint, the rikai bit is kinda obvious ngl, what the fuck do i even tag this with uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25867492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "He's like a weird cat."
Relationships: Kairi & Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 50





	first encounter

**Author's Note:**

> this has been in my drafts for almost a month and i was like. no get up! and fucking write it you know you want to and so i did  
> anyway anti sora go brrr i love him

"So...Sora?"

The creature perks up at the name, head twitching awkwardly to the side. It chitters quietly and watches her with wide, unblinking yellow eyes. The last of the mutilated Heartless crumble into dust.

"Are…" Her voice falters for a heartbeat. "Is it still you?"

It merely chirps at her and restlessly skitters back and forth on its claws and feet.

She takes a cautious step forward, hand stretched out entreatingly, keyblade lax in her grip.

In an instant, the creature is on the defensive, snapping viciously at her, darkness frothing angrily around it. It scrambles back, pressing itself against the stone wall as if it could phase straight through.

Unfortunately yet thankfully, it doesn't.

They take a fearful step back, keyblade rattling in their hand.

" _Kairi._ " They mutter, voice low as they watch the agitated creature warily. Their aquamarine eyes flick up to meet hers.

"It's ok, it's ok." Kairi reassures, though her words come out a bit too shaky. "I know he's in there Riku. I can _feel_ him. His light...it's still there." She takes a breath in. "I can get through to him."

Riku opens their mouth to protest

Kairi turns to them, scarlet eyes shining brightly. With tears or worry, they don't know.

and promptly closes it.

“Ok.” They look like they want to say something else but don't, nodding slowly instead. “Ok.”

Kairi turns back to the creature-Sora? She turns back to Sora who hisses and tries to press himself further against the wall but fails.

Huh...He doesn’t have a shadow. Strange...

Kairi shakes her head. _Focus!_ She holds her hand out again and keeps her voice soft, as not to scare him more. 

“Hey Sora. It’s just us, Riku and Kairi. Remember?” 

Sora continues to growl, either not understanding her or just choosing to ignore her completely. He snaps at her again, baring sharp teeth and Kairi flinches. Riku shifts into a defensive stance in the corner of her eye but she holds her hand out, making them pause.

“Kairi?”

“He’s scared…” She whispers, more to herself than them.“He’s scared of us...our _keyblades._ ” She realises, seeing how Sora’s gaze is focused on her hand.

Kairi lets Destiny’s Embrace disappear into a flurry of petals and shards of light. Riku doesn’t follow her lead and instead grips Way to the Dawn even tighter than before, reluctant to let their weapon go. 

It doesn’t go unnoticed by Sora, who now turns his full attention to Riku. He snarls, wide lantern eyes narrowing into a glare as his whole body tenses like a spring, claws scraping against the ground.

 _He’s going to pounce_ , Kairi thinks as a sudden rush of panic overwhelms her.

She doesn’t even register what she's doing and by the time she does, Riku’s keyblade clatters on the ground far away from them before bursting into a mix of shadows and light. She lets go of Riku’s wrist.

Kairi lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and Riku does the same. She rounds on them, eyes dark with worry and a hint of anger.

“Riku! He’s not our enemy. He’s _Sora_.” She whisper-yells.

Riku shakes their head jerkily. “No that’s not...Sora would never...He’s-”

Kairi interrupts them. “Too full of light? Surely you would know better than anyone, _Riku_ , that there is darkness in everyone’s hearts. Or did your little showdown with Xemnas knock some of your brain cells out?”

Riku winces, shrinking away from her fury. Kairi stops at the look on their face and backs off, sighing. 

“Sora’s stronger than that Riku. He would never let darkness overcome him completely. And even if it did…” She gently takes their trembling hands in hers. “We’d light his way back home, right?”

Riku hesitates for a moment before nodding reluctantly, unable to meet her eyes. She cups their face with her hand gently, rubbing a comforting thumb over their cheek.

“Yeah.” They mutter softly. “We would.”

“Good. Now help me you big dummy.”

They kneel so they’re at Sora’s eye level, crouched low to the ground as he is. His growling subsides as they do, the darkness whipping around him calming and lazily curling into the air instead. He tilts his head again, as if confused, and murmurs quietly like he’s asking a question.

“That’s right, it’s us Sora. You know us don’t you?” Kairi smiles warmly at him.

He looks between the two of them, at their hands, before taking a timid step forward. Then another. And another. All the while, he makes strange gurgling noises, almost like he’s talking to them. 

Riku swallows their fear as best they can and holds a shaking hand out to him. The other is tightly squeezing Kairi’s, who squeezes back with just as much force. Sora flinches away from it, the darkness around him flaring up a bit.

“It’s ok.” Riku soothes. “I promise I won’t hurt you, I was just scared and I'm sorry. I promise Sora, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. _Ever_.”

Sora stares out their outstretched hand, unsure of what to do. He leans forward slowly, cautiously and gives Riku’s hand a tentative sniff.

And then he sneezes, making both Riku, Kairi and himself jump. He hisses at nothing before he wrinkles his nose and sneezes again. It's cute.

Kairi can’t help herself and she laughs, loud and bright. Sora’s a little startled by the sudden noise but then he mimics it, a strange noise in the back of his throat. His bright eyes squint with what she’s pretty sure is happiness.

“It really is Sora huh.” Riku mutters to themself, a small grin pulling at their lips.

Kairi nudges them playfully. “Seeee, I was right. He’s always Sora, no matter what he looks like.”

Sora crawls up to them, chirping as he does. He hesitates for only a moment before pressing against Kairi like a cat. He rubs his cheek against hers and lets out a content rumble that she can feel in her bones. Kairi pats his head fondly.

She grins at Riku. "He's like a weird cat."

Sora bats his hand repeatedly against Riku's arm, obviously seeking more attention. Riku pinches his cheek gently before ruffling his hair, making it even more wild than before. Sora makes a weird noise of complaint, smacking Riku's hand away.

"A really weird cat." Riku agrees before glancing over Sora’s form. "When do you think he'll change back?"

Kairi purses her lips. "Wellll if this is another drive form, which I think it is, then surely-woah!"

As if answering her question, the darkness coating Sora's body finally recedes, giving way to bright yellow, red and dark blue once again and swirling back into Sora's heart like a whirlpool. She hears him murmur quietly.

"Sora?"

Sora moves his face from her shoulder, blinking up at her with tired eyes. "Mmphff...Kairi? Wha...what happened?"

Kairi tilts her head in confusion. "You don't remember?"

Riku looks just as puzzled.

Sora stops, thinking for a moment. "Uh well kinda? But it's all really fuzzy...I dunno."

Kairi and Riku share a glance and Sora looks between them, anxiety beginning to write itself on his face.

"You kinda went all dark and, uh, feral." Riku explains.

Sora goes pale.

"But it's ok!" Kairi quickly waves her hands. "You were really friendly actually, like a big weird cat. Y'know like...nya!"

Sora watches her incredulously before staring at his hands. "Well that's a relief…Donald and Goofy usually say I'm really, um...really unfriendly actually."

"This has happened before?!" Riku exclaims.

Sora winces. "A few times yeah." He fiddles with his gloves. "They call it anti form. We don't know what causes it yet but we think it's from overusing drive forms maybe. Obviously I'm being more careful now but it's still kinda random so...we just go with it I guess." He shrugs.

He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “But I haven’t attacked any friends yet. Keyword yet.”

"Well," Kairi starts. "if you're not hurting anyone then it can't be all bad right? You absolutely stomped those Heartless back there though."

"Just...be careful Sora. Darkness isn't just some toy to mess around with." Riku warns, completely serious.

Sora sighs in mock exasperation. "Yessss Riku I will be careful."

Riku eyes him skeptically.

"Promise."

Riku messes up his hair again. "You better. Or else Kairi will drag your ass back to the light."

"I sure will!” Kairi agrees with a malevolent grin. "There's no escaping my wrath."

Sora shudders from some repressed memory. "Yeah, you don't need to tell me twice, that's for sure."

"Good! Anyway we should meet up with the King! You know how much he worries about his precious child."

Riku scowls, folding their arms as their face turns red. Sora cackles loudly and bounces to his feet, sprinting off.

"Last one there has to do everyone's chores for a week!" He calls over his shoulder.

"Ohohoho no you don't!" Riku and Kairi say in unison before disappearing in flashes of light and darkness.

Sora's startled scream can be heard from miles away.


End file.
